Chapter Six
1174 Words
Maria’s POV
I could feel my heart rate spike as Bryan stepped forward, flashing that same cocky grin I’d remembered so well from high school.
The one that had made my life a living hell for years.
“You two know each other?” Andrew asked, his voice low and suspicious.
I didn’t want to be here.
Not with him.
Not in front of Andrew, not with the entire room watching.
But Bryan had already caught sight of me—his eyes glimmering with that familiar superiority—and I knew the next few minutes weren’t going to be easy.
“Yes,” I forced out, my voice barely above a whisper.
“We went to school together.”
Andrew raised an eyebrow, his gaze flicking between us, no doubt sensing the undercurrent of tension.
“School together? You two didn’t look like the best of friends.”
Bryan chuckled darkly, clearly reveling in the discomfort he’d stirred. “You could say we were… rivals.”
I felt my face flush, the old memories crashing into my mind like a wave.
Bryan had always been the golden boy at school. Popular, athletic, charming, and used to getting whatever he wanted.
He had tormented me for years—calling me names, making me feel worthless.
It was high school, but those years were a constant reminder of the way people like Bryan thought they were entitled to hurt people like me.
“Ah, I see. Well, I’m glad we’re on the same team tonight.”
Andrew’s voice cut through the air like a blade.
He was trying to remain civil, but I could see the edge in his eyes.
I could see it in the way his jaw tightened, the way he kept a hand near my back—possessive, territorial.
Bryan smirked. “Right. Maria’s great at pretending to be whatever you want her to be. Isn’t that right?”
The venom in his voice made my stomach churn. He was baiting me, trying to push me into some kind of reaction. But I wasn’t going to give him the satisfaction.
“You look… different, Maria,” Bryan continued, his eyes gliding over me in a way that made my skin crawl. “Much more… put together than back in high school.”
I wanted to snap at him, to say something sharp and cutting. But I didn’t. I couldn’t let him see how much he still got under my skin.
“Well, this is awkward,” Andrew said, stepping closer to me, his arm brushing mine in a protective move.
He was signaling that I was with him. That I was off-limits.
“Yeah, awkward is the word for it,” Bryan said with a wicked smile, then turned to Andrew. “But hey, if you ever need a driver who knows how to handle… difficult situations, just give me a call.”
Bryan’s words were clearly laced with more than just professionalism. He was trying to get under my skin, make me feel small, and worst of all—make Andrew see something he wasn’t meant to see.
But Andrew wasn’t having it.
“I’ll keep that in mind,” he said coldly, his tone as sharp as glass. “But for now, let’s focus on business.”
Bryan nodded, stepping aside, still wearing that grin that seemed to mock me.
I had to get through the next few hours. I had to pretend. For the money. For my survival.
Andrew’s POV
As I settled into my seat at the dinner table, I couldn’t ignore the fact that Maria’s discomfort was palpable. Her body language—closed off, tight, wary—spoke volumes. And yet, she was still here. Still at my side, playing the part of the perfect arm candy.
I could tell that Bryan was getting to her. It was obvious in the way she tensed up whenever his attention landed on her, the way she bit back her words when he tried to provoke her.
But the question gnawed at me: Why did Bryan have this power over her?
And why the hell did I feel so f*****g possessive watching him look at her like that?
“Maria,” I pressed, my voice a little more insistent now. “Are you okay?”
She looked up at me, her brown eyes filled with a storm of emotions. “Yeah,” she said shortly. “I’m fine.”
She wasn’t fine.
But I didn’t have the time to push it. Not when the deal with Mr. Denmark was on the line.
“Mr. Denmark,” I said, leaning forward and offering the older man a smile. “I’m glad we could finally meet in person."
Mr. Denmark, the elusive, reclusive billionaire who had been playing hard-to-get for months.
The entire reason I needed this dinner to go well. The reason I needed Maria to keep her cool.
“I’m glad too, Andrew,” Mr. Denmark replied smoothly, his fingers tapping lightly on the edge of his wine glass. “And I must say, you’ve brought quite the… intriguing date tonight.”
Maria’s gaze flickered to the table again, but she didn’t flinch this time. She stayed quiet, her posture still poised.
“She’s a perfect match for me,” I said, keeping my voice steady. “Charming, beautiful, and exactly how I like them.
Mr. Denmark chuckled, eyes lingering on Maria for a second too long. “Indeed. You have quite a taste, Andrew. Very… impressive.”
I could feel Maria’s discomfort intensify. This wasn’t just dinner. This was a performance.
A show.
And I had no idea how to make her believe she could act her way through it.
Maria’s POV
The night dragged on as I smiled and nodded, answering polite questions about my “relationship” with Andrew and keeping my discomfort buried deep beneath the surface. Every time I glanced at Bryan, I could feel his eyes boring into me like daggers. It wasn’t just a high school rivalry anymore; it felt like a game to him, and I was his pawn.
But the worst part?
The worst part was the tension between Andrew and me. The way he kept shifting in his seat. The way his eyes would flicker over to me when he thought I wasn’t looking.
By the end of the dinner, I felt emotionally exhausted, physically drained. Bryan had been insufferable, his jokes at my expense never stopping.
And when Mr. Denmark suddenly announced that an emergency would delay the next meeting, my mind snapped back into reality.
“Perfect timing,” I muttered under my breath. “I can finally go home.”
Andrew’s expression didn’t change. He stayed silent as he stood from the table, extending a hand to me. “We’ll go back to my office and sign the contract.”
But before I could respond, he did something unexpected. Something that made me freeze in place.
“Maria,” he said, his voice low. “Marry me.”
- Writer
